


Adventures In Being Your Own Hero

by comicsansserif



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: ???? - Freeform, F/F, Here we go, Vigilante AU, anyone ask for
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-17
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-09-25 02:21:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9798236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/comicsansserif/pseuds/comicsansserif
Summary: Kara Danvers is getting really sick of vigilantes. Like really, really sick of vigilantes.





	1. Chapter 1

As far as crime fighting goes, this night had been relatively easy. Some suspicious individuals in some suspicious alleys, or near some cars that were suspiciously not theirs. All conflicts had been ended without the _ever_ so effective gunfire. Seriously, how long was it gonna take these dummies to understand the whole ‘impervious to bullets’ thing? But Kara knew better than to turn in for the night. Crime, as random as it supposedly was, liked occurring at the most inopportune times. It was only a matter of time-

 

_“Supergirl we’ve got an armed bank robbery on 5th and-”_

 

_“I’m on it!”_

 

She had heard the gunshots before the crackle of the radio and was already on her way, speeding through the night sky. Kara grinned softly as the wind flicked her face. She never got tired of that sensation.

 

Though she had done this countless times, as she flew to the scene Kara devised a plan for detaining the bank robbers. Her first attempt was always to talk with the criminal peacefully. Sure it almost never worked but hey… can’t blame a girl for trying, right? However, as she descended upon the bank, something startling caught her attention.

 

The criminals were on the floor, unconscious, and tied together, neatly packaged like a present under a Christmas tree. Their weapons were laid at their feet. Concerning the bank, the building wasn’t the worst Kara had seen. There were a few overturned desks, some broken chairs, and a smashed window. Nothing irreplaceable. As relieved as Kara was that no one was hurt, (or at least no criminals were hurt), it of course begged the obvious.

 

Who the _hell_ did this?

 

* * *

 

 

_Oh god her whole body felt like one giant bruise._

Lena winced as she attempted to sit up straight in her chair. Her armor needed some work. Although...she supposed past dismissal of physical education courses in school probably didn’t help matters in the present. Last night she had gotten unlucky...and in some respects tremendously lucky. The bank robbers were more skilled in combat than her armor was powerful, but she was still smarter. However, if she was thankful for _anything_ today, it was that Jess didn’t mention anything when Lena practically limped into her office. She could add one more thing to her list of mental notes.

  


_Current List Of Mental Notes:_

  * _Improve armor (maybe add another layer in between power source and thick leather)_


  * _Continue improvement of physical skills_


  * _Silently nod to Jess on way out of building, subtly revealing to her your gratitude_



 

Lena could barely focus on her work. The painkillers she had taken that morning clearly weren’t giving it their all. But she had obligations, and some injuries and a lack of sleep weren’t going to stop her.

 

No, those wouldn’t stop her, but a person-shaped puppy might.

 

“Good morning, Lena!” Kara greeted with a beautiful smile that, for the smallest moment, made Lena forget that her entire body was on fire. “I bring gifts.” She said, holding out coffee and a small paper bag supposedly containing some form of pastry. Lena stood up to retrieve the offerings and winced, remembering her pain.

 

“ _You_ are an absolute saint.” Lena replied, forcing a smile to hide her agony. Kara’s brows furrowed.

 

“Are uh...you okay there?” Kara asked, cringing as she watched Lena struggle slightly in her goal of taking the coffee and pastry and setting them down on her desk.

 

“What? Oh, I’m fine. It just...turns out falling asleep at your desk isn’t the most comfortable sleeping position.” She punctuated the fact with a small, nervous laugh. Lena hovered around her chair, tempted to return to her savior, the sitting position.“Who knew, right?”

 

“Right. Right, yeah.” Kara didn’t seem particularly convinced, but she didn’t feel inclined to press it. Instead she breathed in, breathed out, adjusted her glasses, and put on another smile. “You really have _got_ to stop doing that. You’re way too young to be having back problems.”

 

Lena scoffed at that and Kara giggled. The two stared at each other for a silent moment. Both gazing into the other's eyes, Kara hoping to find the truth to Lena’s injuries and Lena hoping to find that her friend might be inclined to distract her from her work even further (perhaps in a manner that wasn’t exactly work friendly). Kara was the one to finally break the passionate silence.

 

“Well...I’m sure you have some important CEO work to be doing and I- I actually need to get to work too so-” Kara sputtered, backing away slowly towards the door. “I’ll see you later?”

 

“See you later.”

 

* * *

 

It was a few weeks before Kara had encountered another incident like the one at the bank. As she approached the scene, she was once again faced with neatly packaged criminals, and the cause of their defeat nowhere to be found. She had a feeling it wasn't James. He wasn't one for subtlety. Though, she had taken some time to ask him if he knew anything about the new mystery “hero”.

 

He had laughed and said “Not _every_ vigilante knows each other, Kara.”

 

Great. So no leads there it seemed.

 

Kara heard a distinct, industrial roar in the distance. It seemed the crime fighter rode a motorcycle.

 

Boy, was she getting tired of vigilantes.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i like lists

After weeks of complaining about the new resident crime fighter with only a blurry picture to attach it to (photographers were wizards, apparently), Kara finally ran into the vigilante. 

 

It was a hectic night. A massive power outage. A feeding frenzy for criminals. Kara had her hands full. She wondered if the vigilante had even bothered showing up to help tonight. Maybe they were just show, and only “performed” when they felt they had the advantage. Another person trying to play hero without knowing what that actually meant. 

 

She was getting updates from the DEO. The power was to be back on momentarily. But between the humans that she had to be careful with and the aliens that required full force, she was exhausted. After hours of having to deal with enemies of varying threat levels, a large gang of humans and aliens had managed to get her on the ground. 

 

And then she heard the tires screech. This had distracted her opponents, and Kara took the opportunity to stand.

 

She was staring a helmeted figure in the eyes. Protective eye glass. Whatever.

 

They were shorter than she had expected. 

 

“You couldn't have gotten here any sooner?” Kara called out casually to the stranger as she pinned an alien to the ground. The vigilante had been standing in shadow and stepped smoothly into the moonlight. And now, with a clear look at the costume, Kara could say without a doubt that she hated it. The biker aesthetic...the popped collar...the leather...it was all very...what’s the word?  _ Edgy.  _ Like someone got lost on their way to Gotham. 

 

The figure shrugged. 

 

“I'm a sucker for a grand entrance.” The voice was distorted by the helmet. Of course. 

 

“Okay well if you're done standing there looking ‘cool’ I could really use a hand here.” 

 

“Only if you ask nicely.”

 

“Is there some history between the two of you I should know about?” A voice gurgled. It was the alien whose face was currently being shoved into the payment. 

 

At this point Kara flung him at one of his friends, and the fight resumed, this time with another hero in the mix. Kara noted the other fighters skillset. They seemed to rely mainly on some form of energy that they were able to shoot from their gloved hands, as well as whatever they found on the ground (they seemed to take a liking to a lead pipe). The two worked in perfect unison. It was almost like a dance. First Kara led, and then the vigilante, and then Kara again. The energy of the fight was in their possession, passed back and forth as they maintained the upper hand, dodging and blocking and landing hits. And as much as Kara didn’t want to like the vigilante, she could at the very least admit they worked well together.

 

And when the fight was over (which it was, very quickly), Kara heard an engine rev, and the stranger was gone. 

 

And when Kara got home, she ranted for what Alex estimated, approximately fifty years, about her dislike of the new comer.

 

“Their costume? I mean come ON a-and- okay granted, they don't exactly look  _ terrible  _  in it. I can't see their face but their body is- WHATEVER. They were  _ insufferable.  _ Sure, I admit we worked pretty great together but-Just an  _ aura _ of smarminess and-”

 

“Kara, breathe.” 

 

Kara stopped her ranting and took a deep breath, then very calmly took a throw pillow and screamed into it.

 

* * *

 

Kara was starting to get worried about Lena. She had gotten into the habit of visiting Lena at her office every other morning, bringing coffee or flowers or both. Lena often seemed more tired than usual, and she was noticing various cuts and bruises that were just barely covered by makeup. She had brought up her concerns to Alex over the traditional meal of potstickers and pizza.

 

“Maybe she has a connection to that vigilante that you're now obsessed with.” Alex responded with raised eyebrows and a little smirk. Kara couldn't tell if she was joking. It  _ was _ quite the coincidence. Like.  _ Quite _ the coincidence. But what she knew about Lena didn't match up with what she knew of the vigilante. She knew approximately four things about this person.

 

 

  * __This person rides a motorcycle (now, she certainly could be wrong, but Kara didn't take Lena as a motorcycle type.)__


  * _This person possessed combat skill and physical prowess (not to judge, but Lena? No.)_


  * _Is built. Like wow. Like holy_ ** _crap_** _._


  * _They're literally the worst person Kara has ever met and she hates them._



 

 

Still, she pondered. It did line up too perfectly, didn't it? She told Lena to be her own hero, a new crime fighter shows up, she starts noticing mysterious injuries on Lena... But no! There’s no way Lena would be so stupid, would have such little value in her own life, that she would do something this dangerous. Right?

 

“Maybe I should ask her about it…” Kara thought out loud. She hadn't even realized until she saw the surprise on Alex’s face.

 

“I was joking.”

 

Well that answered that question.

 

Kara couldn't shake the feeling that there may be a connection between Lena and the vigilante. Alex sensed that Kara was still thinking about it.

 

“Do you really think Lena Luthor is running the city around fighting crime? I mean...you know her better than I do but she doesn't seem like the type.” Alex said.

 

“I mean...I wouldn't say she's  _ running _ . She does have that motorcycle-”

 

“ _ Kara. _ ”

 

“I don’t know! I  _ do not _ know!” Kara’s cheeks buzzed with red. She lowered her head, rubbing her temples. Why did Alex have to suggest it in the first place? It’s not like she could directly ask Lena, ‘hey good friend of mine are you by chance engaging in extremely dangerous and somewhat frowned upon activities involving the law?’. She could probably phrase it better but it still wasn’t an option. 

 

Kara stared at Alex, mildly annoyed.

 

“Okay, well I’m taking the last potsticker from you as punishment for you making me think about that.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another chapter up already! oh golly. I was working on this one while working on chapter one and I am hopefully maybe planning to start increasing chapter length (maybe just maybe) so there will definitely probably maybe be more time before there's a chapter 3


	3. Chapter 3

Lena felt like she was living whiskey, painkillers, and adrenaline. 

 

She had gotten used to the constant aching in her body. She had gotten used to how absolutely fucked up her sleep schedule was (though, granted, it wasn't that normal when she  _ wasn’t _ spending her nights punching people), she had gotten used to having to find various clever ways to hide the damage from battle.

 

“Lena?”

 

She hadn't gotten used to how concerned Kara looked every time she saw her now.

 

Lena was half asleep, and not in the right frame of mind to be speaking to anyone, certainly not someone she had a bit of a crush on.

 

“Kara! It's so great to see you!” Trying to sell it too hard. Dial it back a little. “How….how has your morning been?” 

 

“Oh, it's been fine! I’m a little tired though.” Kara paused and noticed the furrowed brows of concern on Lena’s face. “Yeah I was just up all night trying to write a story on the new vigilante that's popped up in National City.” Now Lena’s eyebrows raised in surprise. Or amusement. Or possibly both?

 

“A new vigilante! What were you thinking about doing for the article?” Lena flashed a genuine smile.

 

“I’m thinking probably something facts heavy, but with a critical slant?” Kara responded. “Although...knowing Snapper, he’ll probably want me to rethink my angle at least five times.” Of course, there wasn’t an actual article. She  _ had _ pitched the story to Snapper and was met with “no one has seen this person in action” and “we don’t have enough info”. So a fake story would have to do in order to draw out the information Kara was looking for. She’s found that people, herself included, are often at least a little defensive of their hero alter egos. Sometimes embarrassingly so. If Kara’s suspicions of Lena were true, then there’s a chance of some kind of reaction.

 

Kara noticed the smirk ghost Lena’s lips. 

 

“Ooo...a critical slant! Do tell.” 

 

Kara’s eyes narrowed as she tried to read Lena’s face.

 

“Oh you know...just some stuff about how uh...I’d say the presence of this vigilante is sending the wrong message about everyone being able to do what superheroes…...can do? It could lead to a lot of civilians getting hurt.” Kara’s voice tapered off towards the end as she got distracted studying Lena’s response. Lena was still smiling, intent on hearing more. “Of course, it doesn’t help that the costume basically looks totally thrown together out of this person’s closet.” This actually did get a reaction from Lena. Laughter.

 

“ _ Really _ ? God, how bad is it?” Lena said. Kara stared at her for a moment before continuing.

 

“Oh thank you so much for asking. I can’t include this in the article because it’s ‘too opinionated’ but just….it’s got this awful like...biker aesthetic? Way too much leather, way too much black, way too much ‘trying too hard to look cool’.”  Another pause. Another wait for a reaction. Lena hid her mouth behind her hands, trying to suppress laughter.

 

“Oh my god! That sounds  _ terrible _ !” Lena responded between fits of giggles.

 

“It is! It really is! Just so….so edgy.”

 

“Like, ‘Batman called and he says you need to dial it back’, edgy?”

 

“Yes!”

 

The two grinned at each other, letting the ghost of laughter fill the silence.

 

\---------------

 

And before she knew it, Kara was back at the DEO, still smiling, but having learned nothing new. 

 

She was so lost in her thoughts of earlier that day, she jumped when she heard Alex’s voice behind her.

 

“So, how did your little… ‘investigation’ go?” Alex asked, thumbing absently through a file.

 

“Investi…oh...crap.” Kara muttered. “Yeah I...it was a dead end. I don’t think she has any connection.”

 

“Well that’s a relief. Right?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Alex set the file down, her eyes now trained on Kara.

 

“Well there’s other ways of investigating our new friend then just throwing darts at names and seeing what sticks. For one thing, you could try and get closer to them.” She said. Kara could only respond with a groan.

 

She could barely tolerate breathing the same air as the vigilante. Being friendly? Even fake friendly? 

 

“I mean...do we _have_ to find out who this person is? Can’t we just...I don’t know. Never seek this person out and never attempt to get to know them or spend any time with them at all?” Kara asked, eyebrows raised high. Alex was silent with disbelief, her mouth slightly agape for what felt like eternity.

 

“Kara you  _ know _ we can’t have some unknown person running around at night and beating people up.” Dry words. Oof. An eyeroll. “I’m not asking you to invite them to game night, I’m just saying gain their trust.”

 

Kara glanced at her feet

 

“Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tfw u hate ur sort of gf and u dont even know


	4. Chapter 4

Lena stood on the roof of a tall building. She observed the empty streets of the city through the night vision green tint of her helmet. A flickering street lamp. A single passing car. There wasn’t much activity from this vantage point, and she wasn’t hearing anything from her police scanner. In five minutes or so she would switch roofs. 

 

Lena supposed she should be glad for the silence. For one thing, no crime was always a good thing. For another thing, she wasn’t sure how much more abuse her body could take. There was a perpetual distant, dull pain in her body. There was only one time during her day when she wasn’t think about it. When instead, she was feeling the adrenaline of vigilantism course through her body, flooding the pain.

 

God, she loved that feeling.

 

“I’m guessing you’re not here to stargaze.” 

 

A smile formed on Lena’s lips.

 

“Supergirl. How nice of you to take time out of your busy night to come and see me.” She replied.

 

Kara had caught a bit of hesitation in the vigilante’s words. A spot of discomfort. Kara glanced over their body. The helmet, of course, she couldn’t see anything. Lined with lead. But she could see the injuries sustained across the rest of their body.

 

Kara could see every scar, every bruise, every improperly healed fracture.

 

It was a miracle this person was even standing. 

 

Was this person even properly trained for combat? When they had fought side by side, the vigilante seemed capable of holding their own, but they also seemed to have an endless number of tricks up their sleeve. She didn’t know what happened if they ran out of tricks and had to resort to straight hand to hand. James hadn’t sustained this many injuries when he went out as Guardian. Then again, he also got medical attention…

 

“Do you need a doctor?” Kara said after the silence that had set over the two while she was in thought. The vigilante was taken aback.

 

“What? I-I don’t-why did- I’m-” Lena sputtered, “I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

 

“Oh...I have-”  _ Can’t say you used super vision, that’s a super invasion of privacy.  _ “I just...thought I would ask?” Kara shrugged. She couldn't see the vigilante’s face, but she could tell they were unconvinced. Kara noticed them start to fiddle with some device that was inside the gauntlet on their right arm.

 

“Okay.” The vigilante responded bluntly. They crossed their right arm over their chest, the wrist pointing towards the building next to the one they were on. A metal cord shot out of the gauntlet-

 

_ Thwip _

 

Kara blinked a few times. They were gone. She glanced over to the building next door, and  there they were. Kara sighed deeply, and floated over gently to join them.

 

“Don’t you have a motorcycle to get around?” 

 

“Rooftops offer a better vantage point.” The vigilante responded. Kara cocked an eyebrow. “.....And my motorcycle is currently being repaired.” She muttered in addition. Kara gave a sarcastic gasp, covering her mouth with her palm as if she was scandalized by something.

 

“Oh no!  _ Now _ how will people know how much of a badass you are!” Kara could practically hear the vigilante’s eyes roll. A small giggle escaped Kara’s lips, and she could notice the vigilante just barely stifle their own laughter. Though, it resembled more of a cough. She cringed as the vigilante clutched at the side of their ribs, the sound of leather rippling as their gloves pressed into their jacket, sounds of coughing muffled by the helmet. They were close to doubled over.

 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Kara asked softly, a hand outstretched slightly, ready to catch the vigilante if they collapsed. 

 

The vigilante pulled something out of one of their many pouches. Kara squinted, staring at the small objects. Sort of an off-white….oval...small-  _ Are those pills?  _ They turned away from Kara, clicking a button on the side of their helmet, lowering the piece of the helmet covering the mouth. It only took a moment, but it felt like forever to Kara. Feelings of concern had taken over feelings of annoyance. She closed her eyes and dreaded what would come next when she heard the crackle of the police dispatch. 

 

“Let’s answer that question another time.” The vigilante finally responded.


	5. Chapter 5

 

Lena’s mind was swimming in colors and sounds and words that she couldn't even begin to comprehend. What sounded like  _ ‘Is she going to be okay?’  _ could have come from right next to her or from behind fifteen steel doors. Something cold on her wrists. Her head rested on something soft. She tried to sit up, but she felt weak and the cold object on her wrists ( _ was she handcuffed? _ ) overpowered her. The blurred colors were consumed by darkness. She felt a warm hand on her shoulder as she receded into her memory.

 

* * *

 

_ “Get out of here!” Supergirl shouted, struggling against an alien- an absolute hulking beast of an enemy. Way out of Lena’s league. She was already exhausted. But she couldn't abandon her. She had to help. She  _ **_had_ ** _ to.  _

 

_ “You need to go  _ **_now_ ** _!” Supergirl yelled again. _

 

_ The temperature was rising in the warehouse. They knew there were bombs somewhere. She could disarm them. She could. She just needed time to find them. _

 

_ “You keep him busy. I'll find the explosives.” Lena responded. _

 

_ This felt important. She had to help. It was more important than her l- _

 

 

* * *

Lena was suddenly pulled out of her memory again. She heard people talking. She tried to blink away her blurred vision to no avail. The red of Supergirl’s cape could just barely be made out between fog.

 

“Oh. She's awake.” Lena hears a woman say. Decidedly not Supergirl. 

 

“Lena-” another voice started. Soft. Familiar. 

 

“Kara…” Lena mumbled, just barely audible. She could make out the caped figure stepping away from her.

 

“O-oh...no, Ms. Luthor. It's...it's me, Supergirl.”

 

The words were lost on the once again unconscious Lena.

 

* * *

 

 

_ She found them. Found the bombs. Sweat pooled in her helmet and in her body armor. She just had to ignore the chaos unfolding behind her. Just focus. _

 

_ Focus. _

 

_ The bomb rig was simple. Lena could disarm this in her sleep.  _ **_Oh god it was so hot_ ** _ - _

 

_ Her fingers and mind worked as swiftly as possible under the oppressive heat. It was so simple. So simple.  _

 

_ Deceptively so. _

 

_ Ringing. She didn't feel the explosion per se, but she felt the loss of her senses. So much ringing. A white blur replaced the previous image of the burning warehouse.  _

 

_ Suddenly pulled into fresh air..  _

 

_ Hands on her helmet, pulling it off- _

 

* * *

 

Lena woke up again, heart and head pounding. Her whole body shook with violent coughing. 

 

“Oh! She's awake again!” Lena’s vision slowly began to clear, and she was able to connect the warm, familiar voice to Supergirl, standing there at her side. Next to her was Kara’s sister...what was her name? Whatever. That question wasn’t the important one at the moment. Why was Kara’s sister here? 

 

Lena had a million questions.

 

“Why...why….handcuffs?”

 

* * *

 

 

_ Kara could barely look at Lena. So many conflicting emotions. She was worried for her health. She was angry that Lena would do something so  _ **_ridiculous._ ** _ That she kept this secret from her. But of course Kara also felt guilty. She was in no place to be angry with Lena.  _

 

_ Suddenly, Lena’s eyes shot open.  _

 

_ “O-oh! Lena you’re awake-” _

 

_ Lena’s pupils, glazed over, distant, searched slowly around the room, not fully taking in the environment or what was going on. Her hand felt the tubes going into her veins, and promptly ripped them out.  _

 

_ “Lena what- don’t do that” _

 

_ She attempted to slide out of the bed, and collapsed, face meeting floor.  _

 

_ “Oh.” _

 

* * *

 

“Oh” 

 

Supergirl smiled, seemingly concerned.

 

“We just...didn’t want you getting any more injured…” 

 

Lena nodded weakly, as if she actually understood the story she had been told. She glanced at Kara’s sister, who had been silent for the entirety of the exchange. She had just stared. Lena felt something in that stare. Judgement? Disappointment? Something on that spectrum. After far too long of having words perpetually caught on her tongue, she spoke.

 

“Ms. Luthor after your recovery there’s paperwork we need you to fill out.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow! that took a lot of time for not a lot of actual. chapter. sorry my dudes. combination SATs and writing not being my Main Thing.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone this is my very first fic?? (like ever!! WILD)  
> you can find my supergirl blog here: [https://irishlenaluthor.tumblr.com/]()  
> and hey heres my (now super old) designs for what that vigilante costume looks like: [https://irishlenaluthor.tumblr.com/post/156968483520/take-some-weird-vigilante-au-doodles-drawn-at]()  
> [https://irishlenaluthor.tumblr.com/post/156661382945/i-saw-an-ask-sent-to-i-think-luthoring-about]()


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